Process of manufacturing artificial fuel.



UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE.

EDWARD QI. HOFFMAN, or oIIIo co, ILLINOIS, ASSIGNOR on ONE-HALF TO CHARLES W. ADAMS, or CHICAGO, ILLINOIS.

PROCESS OF MANUFACTURING ARTIFICIAL FUEL.

SPECIFICATION forming part of Letters Patent No. 707,231, dated August 19, 1902.

Application filed November 29, 1901. Serial No. 84,110. (No specimens.)

'1'!) all whom it may concern:

Be it known that I, EDWARD J. HOFFMAN, of Chicago, in the county of Cook and State of Illinois, have invented a new, useful, and Improved Process of Manufacturing Artificial Fuel, of which the following is a full, clear, and exact description.

Attempts have heretofore been made to manufacture an artificial fuel by combining IO hydrocarbon or other oils with an absorbent materialsuch as sawdust, coal-dust, peat,

and various forms of waste or earthy mattereither by mechanically mixing the absorbent material with the oil in such a way as to form a loose and comparatively dry product or by mixing the two with a suitable binder'such,

'forexample, as rosin-and then compressing the product into molds. Such mixtures are,

however, unsatisfactory and objectionable as fuel, for the reason that oil mixed with earth or similar absorbent cannot be burned without leaving the material by which it is absorbed, which exercises practically no restraining influence upon combustion, and

hence the oil is burned with a dense black smoke, leaving the absorbent as a comparatively'dead and useless mass. Moreover, in

storing such fuel the tendency is for the oil to separate and settle to the bottom, thus 0 rendering the mixture objectionable and dangerous.

The object of my invention is to overcome these difficulties and objections in the utilization of hydrocarbon oil and earthy or or- 5 ganic matters by so treating the oil before or at the time of combining it with the absorbent material that the oil will not only become solidified, but will remain with the absorbent as a permanent and durable compound, so

40 that it may be stored without change or risk and when ignited will burn steadily and uniformly without causing the oil to separate from the absorbent.

A further object is to provide a fuel mix- 5 ture composed, essentially, of hydrocarbon oil and an absorbent material that may be compressed into molds with sufficient force to form a hard, compact, and smooth product without squeezing the oil from the absorbent or lessening the value of the whole as a fuel.

To these endsmy invention consists in the improved process by which said results are obtained, as well as in the product resulting therefrom, as hereinafter specifically set forth 5 5 and particularly claimed.

The following is a description of my im proved process. To a given quantity of crude petroleum I add a suliicient percentage of alkaline salt, preferably in the form of caustic 6o soda, to chemically combine with and cause concretion or coagulation of all'the oil. In other words, the proportion should be such, varying, of course, with the character of the oil and the strength of the alkaline reagent used, to cause a complete chemical reaction, leaving no free oil. For most hydrocarbon oils I would recommend about one part, by weight,of the alkaline salt'to about eight parts, by weight, of oil. The two should then be heated to such a degree and for such a time as to cause thorough concretion. .This usually requires about half an hour and a temperature of from about 180t0 about 212 Fahrenheit. While being heated the ingredients 7 5 should be stirred or agitated to facilitate chemical action. As the chemical action advances the parts coalesce and the mixture becomes thickand viscid. The process should be continued until complete concretion results. If at this stage the mass be allowed to cool, it will set or solidify, its density increasing within certain limits in proportion to the length of time it is permitted to stand; but instead of permitting it to so cool and harden I add thereto before the mixture begins to thicken or at the outset as much dry earth or loam as will be received thereby. The earth,which is preferably free from sand or clay, such as vegetable loam, should be 0 thoroughly dry and no more should be used than will be completely permeated with the oily product. I have found in practice that some soils will absorb more oil than others and more of certain kinds of oil than of others, 5 so that in carrying out my process considerable discretion shonld be used. For example, Ihave found thatlllinoisloam will absorb about thirty gallons of Ohio oil to the ton of earth and about forty-seven gallons of Beau- I00 mont oil. The proportionswhichIwould ordi naril y recommend are about as follows: petroleum, eight parts; caustic soda, one part; dry earth, two hundred and fifty parts. This form ula applies more particularly to Pennsylvania oil. After the earth is thoroughly mixed with the chemically-combined oil and alkali it may be used for fuel, either in a loose form or compressed in the form of briquets, the latter being preferred; but in either case I prefer to let it stand for a considerable time before use, as it becomes harder when so cured. My improved fuel burns uniformly without smoke and with little ash,while the heat units thereof exceed those of the best grades of coal.

Careful tests have de monstrated that a pound.

of the fuel will evaporate fourteen pounds of. water. Thefuel is cleanly, may be stored or transported like any other solidfuel, gives OK no dust or free oil, and is highly economical.

Having thus described my .invention, I claim- 1. The process, substantially as described, of manufacturing artificial fuel, consisting in combining hydrocarbon oil with caustic soda and non-silicious, non-kaoliferous earth in about the proportions specified, agitating the mixture and subjecting the same to moderate heat until a complete chemical combination is eifected between the oil and alkali, and a complete admixture is effected with said earthy absorbent.

2. The process, substantially as described, of manufacturing artificial fuel, consisting in mixing hydrocarbon oil with a sufficient proportion of alkaline salt to produce complete concretion of all the oil and a sufficient quantity of non-silicious, non-kaoliferous earth to fully absorbthe oleaginousmixture, heating and agitating the ingredients until complete concretion and admixture results, and finally compressing the same in molds.

3. The process, substantially as described, of manufacturing artificial fuel, consisting in mixing hydrocarbon oil, caustic soda and an earthy absorbent, in the proportion by weight of about eight parts of oil, one part of soda, and two hundred and fifty parts of non-silicious, non-kaoliferous earth, and heating and agitating the ingredients until a complete chemical reaction is efiected between the oil and soda, and a thorough admixture is made with the earthy absorbent.

4. The process, substantially as described, of manufacturing artificial fuel, consisting in mixing hydrocarbon oil, caustic soda and vegetable loam in the proportion by weight of about eight parts of oil, one part of soda, and two hundred and fifty parts of loam, heating the mixture to from about 180 to about 212 Fahrenheit, and agitating the same until complete concretion results.

5. As an improved article of manufacture, an artificial fuel consisting of hydrocarbon oil and caustic soda chemically combined and mechanically mixed with an absorbent material in about the proportions specified.

6. As an improved article of manufacture, an artificial fuel compressed in the form of briquets molded from a compound consisting of hydrocarbon oil and caustic soda salt chemically combined with each other and mechanically mixed with an absorbent materialin about the proportions specified.

In testimony whereof I have signed this specification, in the presence of twosubscribing witnesses,this 28th day of September,1901.

ED WARD J. HO FFMAN.

\Vitnesses:

D. H. FLETCHER, CARRIE E. JORDAN. 

